Situation Ethics

Question 1

What is situation ethics?

Answer 1

•Situation ethics is a normative ethical theory
•It was developed by Joseph Fletcher in the 1960s and is based on the principle of agape love, which refers to unconditional, selfless love

Question 2

Is situation ethics teleological or deontological?

Answer 2

•Situation ethics is a form of teleological ethics
•meaning it focuses on the consequences of actions rather than rigid rules like NML

Question 3

What are the key features of situation ethics?

Answer 3

•Relativism: Moral decisions depend on the context of the situation rather than following absolute rules (e.g., the Ten Commandments).
•Love as the only absolute: Fletcher argued that the principle of agapē love should guide moral decision-making, as love is the highest good.
•Teleological approach: Actions are judged as right or wrong based on whether they lead to the most loving outcome.
•Personalism: People and their needs are prioritized over laws or rules.
•Pragmatism: Ethical decisions must work in practice and achieve loving outcomes
•Situational: Each moral decision is unique and depends on the specific context

Question 4

What are the four working principles?

Answer 4

•Pragmatism: The solution must work practically to promote love.
•Relativism: Rules are not absolute but are applied relative to love.
•Positivism: Faith in love is prioritized over fixed legalistic approaches.
•Personalism: The welfare of people is more important than following rules

Question 5

What are fletchers six working propositions?

Answer 5

•Love is the only intrinsic good: Nothing is good in itself except love.
•The ruling norm of Christian decision-making is love: Love replaces legalistic rules
•Love and justice are the same: Justice is love distributed.
•Love wills the neighbor’s good: Love is selfless and extends even to enemies.
•Only the end justifies the means: The outcome determines if an action is loving.
•Love’s decisions are made situationally: Each decision is unique and context-dependent

Question 6

What are the strengths of Situation Ethics?

Answer 6

•It is flexible as it allows for adaptability in complex ethical situations
•It focuses on love as it emphasizes compassion and care for others
•It also provides guidance in real-life dilemmas where rules conflict making it practical

Question 7

What are the weaknesses of Situation Ethics?

Answer 7

•Judging what is the most loving action can be highly subjective
• There’s a lack of clear guideline this means the absence of rules can lead to moral uncertainty
•Could be used to justify unethical actions if the outcome is claimed to be loving which would be a misuse of the theory

Question 8

What are the four causes

Answer 8

•Aquinas borrowed Aristotle’s idea of different causes
•For Aquinas what ever prompts the final cause (telos) is right, Whatever goes against the final close is wrong